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Update 11/27/18 – The Milford Planning and Zoning Board voted unanimously on Nov. 20 to impose a six-month moratorium on self-storage development. The ban will begin on Dec. 17 and end on June 30. The city will use the time to examine how the number of storage facilities in the area conforms to its conservation and development plan, according to the source.

During the public hearing, Nash indicated the amount of available self-storage space far exceeds Milford residential requirements. Using seven square feet per capita as the benchmark, the city’s population would need 371,000 square feet. That figure is far below available supply, as just five of the eight facilities in town comprise 469,000 square feet by themselves, she argued.

“Self-storage units are typically developed on very large sites and generate very few jobs,” Nash told the board. “We would like to ensure that any future development is appropriately geared toward that which will result in greater financial impact to better the city and its residents by generating domino effect business and creating more jobs.”

City staff could also use the moratorium to create new regulations targeted at self-storage, city planner David B. Sulki said during the meeting. He noted that several retail buildings within Corridor Design Development districts would be attractive for self-storage but that the use is “counter to the intent of the corridor districts.”

10/30/18 – Milford, Conn., officials are considering whether to impose a moratorium on self-storage development. The planning and zoning board voted unanimously last week to schedule a public hearing on the matter, though no meeting has been scheduled, according to the source.

The city’s economic development director, Julie Nash, made the request to the board, though it’s unclear from the report what prompted it. The report also doesn’t specify if the ban would be permanent, temporary or isolated to specific areas of the municipality.

Milford is home to at least eight self-storage facilities, with two projects approved in 2015. Its population is around 53,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Several municipalities have imposed self-storage development bans in recent months. Most recently, officials in Rock Hill, S.C., are looking to enact a six-month moratorium and limit where self-storage could be built. In April, the Arvada, Colo., City Council unanimously approved a 180-day moratorium to temporarily halt any self-storage applications for the area. The city is evaluating the business use in relation to its Comprehensive Plan.

Officials in Denver have approved a ban on self-storage in some areas. In January, the New York City Council banned self-storage development within industrial business zones without a special-use permit. The city also created a two-year application process, which includes a uniform land-use review procedure. Other cities to establish development barriers include Margate, Fla., Poulsbo, Wash., and Woodland, Calif.